Car-coupling.



No. 7|5,970. Y u Patented Deb. I6, |902.

PP. BRUWN. CAR CiOUPLING. (Application mea may 5,' 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

WMZ?? @u Nb. 7|5,&70. Patentod Dec. I6, |902.

P. BROWN.

CAR COUPLING. f

Application led May 5, 1902.)

(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Shag* 2.

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. lill UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK BROWN, OF BUFFALO, Nnw YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,970, dated December 16, 1902,

' Application ned May 5,1902. serial No. 105,937. (No moda.)

To LZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, PATRICK BRowN,a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to an improvement in twin-jaw car-couplings of the Janney type. In couplers of this class when an empty or lightly-loaded caris coupled to a heavily-loaded car the coupling ofthe light car stands more or less above that of the heavy car. The knuckles, therefore, do not interlock throughout their full depth or coupling-surface, but only the lower portion of the high coupling interlocks with the up'- per portion of the low coupling, thus bringing the draft strain upon a comparatively small area of the coupled knuckles and eX- erting the same in an indirect manner, liable to cause breakage of the knuckles in case either should contain a iiaw or other weakness. Moreover, in such couplings as ordinarily constructed the knuckles are free to separate undera vertical movement of greater extent than that of the contact-surfaces of the knuckles, and in case a draw-bar should be broken or pulled out of place itis wholly unsupported and liable to drop upon the track. It is well known that trains have frequently been derailed and wrecked by such fallen draw-bars.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved coupler of simple construction in which the coupling-surfaces of the knuckles are fully utilized under all ordinary conditions regardless of the relative elevations of the coupled draw-heads.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the couplings that they cannot become separated by an excessive or abnormal vertical movement, but remain coupled even if one of the draw-bars should become wholly disconnnected from the car, thus preventing a broken or detached draw-bar from falling upon the track and causing an accident.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is a side elevation of a pair of connected car-couplings embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section in line 4 5, Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a section in the same line looking in the opposite direction. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the coupling, showing the knuckles open preparatory to being closed by the coupling bar or link. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the coupling-link. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of a modified construction of the link designed for connecting my improved coupler to an ordinary Janney coupler. Fig. 9 is a transverse Vertical section in line 9 9, Fig. 8.

,Fig lO is a perspective view of said modified link.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A indicates the hollow or chambered drawhead, which has the general contour of a .Ianney coupler, except that the portion thereof corresponding to the customary horn or guard of the .Ianney coupler is symmetrical in construction with the opposite side of the drawhead.

Instead of having a single knuckle like the Janney coupler the draw-head is provided in its front portion with 'a pair of knuckles B B, arranged to face each other and pivoted to swing horizontally on upright pins h. These pins pass through the hubs of the knuckles and are seated in openings in the top and bottom of the draw-head. Each of the twin knuckles B has an inwardly-extending jaw b and a rearwardly-extending tailpiece b2, sub' stantially like the corresponding members of a Janney knuckle. The outer faces of the knuckles are straight and in line with each other in the closed position of the knuckles, as best shown in Fig. 3, and their opposing jaws are separated by an intervening space.

Any suitable or approved automatic lock may be employed for locking the knuckles. The preferred lock (shown in the drawings) consists ot a vertically swinging gravityblock C, pivoted in the central portion of the draw-head by a transverse pin c and arranged `to hang between the opposing tailpieces h2 of the twin knuckles when in its normal position for simultaneously locking both knuckles, as shown in Fig. 3. The knuckles are unlocked by swinging'the lock rearwardly clear of their tailpieces.

In the construction shown in the drawings the lock is raised out of engagement with the tailpieces by a sliding pull-bar D, guided in openings d (l, formed in the top and bottom of the drawhead and pivoted by a transverse pin e to a bifurcated arm or lug e', extending rearwardly from the free lower end of the lock and rigidly secured thereto or formed thereon. The unlocking-bar D has a perforated head d2, to which the usual pull rod or chain (not shown in the drawings) is attached.

As shown in Fig. 3, the tailpieces of the knuckles are provided with rounded rear sides, which deflect the gravity-lock rearwardly when the knuckles are closed, automatically locking the latter in a well-known manuel'. Two of such draw-heads are coupled together by an independent coupling bar or link F, which is constructed to positively connect the opposing pairs of knuckles in such manner that they cannot under any circumstances become separated by a vertical movement of the couplings upon each other. I prefer to employ for this purpose the link shown in the drawings and consisting of a strong bar arranged vertically between the draw-heads and provided in opposite sides with comparativelylonglongitudinalgrooves, guides, or recesses f, adapted to receive the opposing jaws of the knuckles carried by one of the draw-heads and having lateral extensions or auxiliary recessesf",which are adapted to receive the opposing jaws of the knuckles carried by the other draw-head. The lianges or shoulders/2], formed by the front and rear walls of the recessed link, engage behind the two sets of knuckle-jaws, as shown in Fig. 3, while the web f4, which separates the two sets of recesses fj", occupies the space between the opposing jaws of the two pairs of knuckles, as shown in the same figure and in Figs. 4 and 5. The short grooves or recesses f are formed in a lateral extension f5 of the coupling-link and are just long enough to easily admit the adjacent pair of jaws, so as to hold the link against vertical displacement on the same. The long grooves f ot' the link are considerably longer than the depth of the knuckle-jaws engaging therewith to compensate for differences in the elevation of the coupled draw-heads and to permit the jaws to play freely up and down on the link, and vice Versa, in following the vibrations ofthe ears. The end walls or flanges f6 of the link form stops which prevent the link from becoming disengaged from the knuckles, which playin its long grooves f.

It will thus be observed that while the two sets of knuckles are reliably coupled together and free to play vertically, as in the ordinary .Ianney coupler, they cannot become disconnected by an abnormal vertical movement, but are inseparably linked together by the coupling-bar F so long as the knuckles remain locked. In case a draw-bar should in any way become detached from the draft-rigging of the car it will therefore remain attached to the draw-bar of the adjoining car and be supported and carried clear of the track by the same, averting an accident to the train, which might otherwise occur.

Under-normal run ning conditions the coupling-link F affords the advantage of providing a full and wide bearing of the knucklejaws, irrespective of whether one of the coupled draw-heads is more or less out of horizontal alinement with the other, thus exerting a practically even draft upon the couplings and reducing the liability of breakage to a minimum.

In coupling two cars equipped with my improved coupler the coupling-link F is interlocked with the knuckles of one of the opposing draw-heads by opening the knuckles and then forcing the enlargement f5 of the link against their tailpieces, which causes the jaws of the knuckles to swing toward each other and enter the short recesses f of the link, the jaws fully entering the latter by the time the knuckles reach their locked position, as shown iu Fig. 3. The knuckles of the opposing draw-head are now opened and as the cars come together the free or front side of the coupling-link strikes the tailpieces of the knuckles, closing and locking the latterand causing their jaws to enter the long groovesf of the link. The automatic locking action of the coupling is thus similar to that of ordinary knuckle-couplings. The link is made of the proper length to meet extreme variations in the height of empty and loaded cars, and the lateral extension f5 of the link which contains the short recesses f is arranged midway of the length of the link, so that the latter extends above .and below the draw-head, whose knuckles are interlocked with the short recesses. By this arrangement the link upon being interlocked with the first draw-head extends above the latter far enough to encounter with certainty the tailpieces of the knuckles on the opposing draw-head. In case both of two cars to be coupled have links interlocked with their knuckles one of the links is removed before making the coupling.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by my improved construction an automatic coupling is obtained which retains the advantages of the approved type of couplers in general use, and yet overcomes a recognized objection to such couplers-viz., their complete separation in case of breakage or pulling out of a draw-bar.

In order to permit the knuckles of my irnproved coupling to be coupled to another car by an ordinarylink-and-pin coupling,thejaws of the knuckles are bifurcated or recessed, as shown at g, and provided with pin-holes g. The coupling-link F is preferably provided in its short recesses f' with central lugs f7, which are adapted to interlock with the recesses g of the knuckle-jaws. To enable a car equipped with this improved coupling to be coupled to one having an ordinary J anney IOO IIO

coupler, the coupling-link is modified in construction, as shown in Figs. 8 to l0. In this case the body of the link consists of a transverse Vertical web F, provided on one side midway of its width with a projecting lug or head f8, having locking-recessesf9 in opposite sides for the reception of the knucklejaws of my coupler. On its opposite side the web F is provided with a second head flo, having in one side a vertical locking groove or recessfu, constructed to receive the knucklejaw of the opposing Janney coupler. The head fio is attached to the knuckle of the Janney coupler by a pin fm, passing through the jaw of the knuckle and through openings in the top and bottom of the recess fu and in an intermediate rib fs.

I claim as my inventionl. A draw-head having twin coupling jaws or knuckles pivoted to swing horizontally in the head and each provided with a tailpiece, the tailpieces of the two knuckles being separated in the closed position of the knuckles, and a lock constructed to enter between the opposing tailpieces of the knuckles, substantially as set forth.

2. A draw-head having twin coupling jaws or knucklespivoted to swing horizontally in the head and each provided with aA tailpiece, and a vertically-swinging lock arranged to enter between the opposing tailpieces of the knuckles, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a draw-head having a horizontally-swinging knuckle provided with a tailpiece, a depending lock pivoted to swing lengthwise in the draw-head and provided at its lower end with a rigid rearwardlyextending arm, and an unlocking device connected with said arm and extending through the draw-head, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a draw-head having a horizontally-swinging knuckle provided with a tailpiece, a depending lock pivoted to swing lengthwise in the draw-head and provided at its lower end with a rigid rearwardlyextending arm, and a vertically movable unlocking-bar guided in the draw-head and pivoted to the arm of the lock, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of two draw-heads each having a pair of opposing coupling-jaws,

means for locking said jaws in their coupling position, and a coupling-link adapted to stand vertically between the draw-heads, said link being constructed to interlock with the opposing pairs of jaws and provided with stops for limiting the vertical movement of the link and the jaws relatively to each other, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a pair of draw-heads each having a coupling-jaw, and a couplinglink adapted to stand vertically between the draw-heads and provided midway of its ends with attaching means constructed to engage with the coupling-jaw of one of the drawheads and with a vertical guide adapted to receive the coupling-jaw of the other drawhead and arranged to extend above and below said attaching means, substantially as set forth.

7. A link for car-couplings, consisting of a bar adapted to stand vertically between a pair of opposing draw-heads and provided midway of its length with attaching means constructed to engage with the coupling-jaw of one of the draw-'heads and with a vertical guide adapted to receive the coupling-jaw of the opposing draw-head and arranged to extend above and below said attaching means, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of two draw-heads each having a pair of opposing coupling jaws or knuckles pivoted to swing horizontally in the head and provided with tailpieces, locks for said knuckles, and a coupling-link adapted 85 to stand vertically between the draw-heads and provided in opposite sides with lockingrecesses arranged to receive the opposing knuckles of the two draw-heads, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of two draw-heads each yhaving a pair of opposing coupling jaws or knuckles pivoted to swing horizontally in the head and provided with tailpieces, locks for said knuckles, and a coupling-link adapted to stand vertically between the draw-heads and provided in opposite sides with longitudinal locking grooves or recesses closed at their ends and adapted to interlock with the knuckles of the two draw-heads,substantially roo as set forth.

l0. The combination of two draw-heads each having a pair of opposing coupling jaws or knuckles pivoted to swing horizontally in the head and provided with tailpieces, locks for said knuckles, and a coupling-link adapted to stand vertically between the draw-heads and provided in opposite sides with longitudinal locking grooves or recesses which are of greater extent than the jaws of the knuckles 1ro and adapted to receive the jaws of one of the draw-heads, and which are provided midway of their length with lateral extensions constructed to receive the jaws of the other drawhead, substantially as set forth.

l1. A link for car-couplings, having longitudinal ianges or shoulders constructed to interlock with the coupling-jaws of two opposing draw-heads and stop flanges or shoulders arranged at the ends of the longitudinal izo lianges, substantially as set forth.

12. A link for car-couplings, consisting of a bar provided in opposite sides with longitudinal grooves having lateral extensions arranged about midway of their length, sub- 125 stantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 1st day of May, 1902.

PATRICK BROWN.

Witnesses:

THEO. L. Pori), CARL F. GUYER. 

